A military veteran rushed to the aid of Walmart shoppers in South Carolina on Wednesday, subduing an assailant waving a pocket knife.
Richland County Sheriff’s Deputies had been dispatched to the location based on reports that a man was threatening shoppers and employees with a knife in the store’s self-checkout area. Before they arrived, veteran Demario Davis sprang into action, knocking the attacker on his head, causing him to drop the weapon and cease his threatening behavior.
"We could stop a whole lot more attacks if some citizens just step up."
Air Force veteran Demario Davis recounts taking down an armed shopper at a South Carolina Walmart.
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— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 13, 2023
Davis said he was approaching the checkout area with his son, who noticed the “guy walk in with the knife open.” He said he saw the man move toward the store’s service desk, waving the knife at a group of female employees, who took off running.
He said he asked a female employee standing near him where store security was. When she said that she was security, he moved into action.
Davis told reporters that as he was “walking towards the area where the gentleman waving the knife is terrorizing other customers and employees, he yelled out that when the cops get here I’m going to start cutting you all up.”
Davis said he saw another customer attempt to subdue the attacker, “but the guy tried to cut him in the face.” He said, “That’s when my military training kicked in and I casually walked over to the object not only to take him down but also protect myself in case I failed, but with my great military training I was able to neutralize the threat until law enforcement arrived.”
He said he followed his instincts to “neutralize the situation.”
Video of the incident shows Davis picking up a stanchion standing in the self-checkout and hitting the assailant over the head. As he dropped the knife, another shopper quickly picked it up and the group of patrons kept the man under control until officers arrived.
“I’m a community person, so if I see something in the community that’s not right, with all the violence and things and attacks going on, gun violence you know, you want your people in the community to step up as well,” he said.
The attentive veteran said he has “received so many heartfelt comments and compliments from civilians and veterans all over for my brave act and quick response.”
Davis concluded: “The cops can’t do it all by themselves.”
